Brina wiped her hands on a rag, the scent of herbs still clinging to her skin after treating a wounded hunter from a neighbouring village. Her long journey back had given her time to think, and as her boots crunched along the dusty path, her thoughts drifted to the Kilim region.
The Kilim region was part of the Sommeral Free City, a place nestled between the foothills and rivers, moderately rich and fertile. It was a land of simple people, dotted with small villages like hers. There were five or six more villages in Kilim, all paying their taxes to the Free City officials when they made their rounds. While the officials often kept to themselves, their presence always brought whispers, and the weight of tax collection was a constant hum in the villagers' lives.
"Why should they pay taxes?"
"Why would they need to give half of their earning to a government that they don't even directly interact with?"
These are some questions villagers had, but they were not brave enough to take these questions directly to the officials of the free city.
For Brina, though, the region was more than just land for taxation. It was her home. As one of the few talented herbalists and medics in the area, she had grown familiar with the surrounding woods, knowing which plants to pick and where to find the rarest herbs. People from neighbouring villages often sought her out for treatment, knowing she could heal wounds that others couldn't.
"Huh? I should collect some money and buy something like a horse or a donkey, it would save me lot of time," Brina kept thinking, but she soon saw something that calmed her mind. It was none other than her home, the village that was her birthplace.
She sighed as she approached her village. The sun was dipping behind the hills, casting a warm glow over the huts and fields. Children's laughter floated through the air, and as she passed, she saw a group of young girls hanging around the square. They were around the same age as her daughter, Rhea, all dressed in simple tunics with skirts flaring as they twirled around.
Brina slowed her pace when she overheard the girls chatting excitedly, their voices carrying the kind of hushed gossip that could only belong to teenagers.
"I heard so many girls have already proposed to him, but he rejected every single one!" one of the girls said, tossing her hair back dramatically. Her friends giggled.
"Who wouldn't? Falko's like... a god or something," another chimed in, her eyes wide with admiration.
Brina couldn't help but smile, overhearing the familiar name. Falko. He had only been in the village for a few weeks, but he was already the talk of the town.
One of the girls, clearly the most smitten, sighed dreamily. "We're not even worthy to lick his boots. Falko... he's just—so perfect. That hair, those eyes... I bet if he looked at me, I'd faint on the spot."
The others erupted into laughter again, but Brina just shook her head in amusement. Falko had indeed made quite the impression. He wasn't like the other boys in the village, who mostly stayed indoors or occupied themselves with quieter work. No, Falko was different—driven, independent. And now, it seemed, he was the object of every girl's affection.
As Brina continued down the path, she caught sight of her own daughter, Rhea, playing hopscotch with her usual group of friends. Rhea was laughing, her slightly long black hair that she got from her mother bouncing as she hopped from one square to the next.
When Rhea spotted Brina, her face lit up. She abandoned her game immediately and ran over, her breathing ragged from playing. "Mom!" she called out, arms outstretched as she raced toward her.
Brina knelt down and caught her in a hug. "You look like you've been having fun, Rhea."
"I'm glad you're back," Rhea said, still slightly out of breath but smiling brightly. She took a step back, glancing around the village square. "Where did you go again? To treat someone in the next village?"
Brina nodded. "A hunter was injured. Nothing too serious, just a deep cut from a wild boar. It's handled now."
Rhea made a face, half impressed, half disgusted. "Wild boars are so gross. Did you have to stitch him up?"
"Of course," Brina replied with a chuckle. "It's what I do. I'm glad it was just a wild boar and not a monster."
Rhea's gaze wandered around the square, and Brina noticed the way her daughter's eyes flicked from one group of girls to another. "Is Falko not with you?" Brina asked after a moment.
Rhea looked a bit awkward, her lips pressing together. "He's in the back garden... lifting rocks and training with wooden sticks thinking they are swords. As usual."
Brina raised an eyebrow. "Still? He's been at it for days now."
"Yeah," Rhea said with a shrug. "He's kind of obsessed with training ever since he opened his eyes that day."
Brina's thoughts drifted to the boy they had found weeks ago, injured and lost, with no memory of how he ended up in their forest. At first, Falko had seemed like any other boy, fragile and in need of care, but once he had recovered, something had shifted. He had thrown himself into physical training, even learning some fighting techniques from the best hunters in the village. The women had been hesitant at first—boys weren't made for such things. But Falko had insisted, and his determination had won them over. They had agreed to take him to the forest, even though it was unusual for boys to go on hunts.
Brina obviously didn't like him going into the forest knowing the danger, but she knew she wasn't his mother, neither she had any right to stop him, so she allowed him to do that.
Most boys stayed inside, tending to lighter chores while the women hunted and worked the fields. But Falko... Falko was different. He had a fire in him that couldn't be quenched by tradition.
Rhea shrugged again as if reading her mother's thoughts. "He's always been strange. But it's kind of cool, you know? No wonder, he is so popular with girls."
Brina smiled softly. "He's certainly not like anyone else."
As they walked back to their home, Brina spotted Falko through the open doorway of the house. He was sitting on the bed, his legs crossed, his eyes closed in deep concentration. His chest rose and fell with slow, measured breaths, completely oblivious to the world around him.
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "What's he doing? Sleeping?"
Brina tilted her head, curious. "It looks like he is meditating. He's been doing this more and more lately."
Rhea grinned mischievously, glancing at her mother. "Wanna bet I can scare him?"
Before Brina could say anything, Rhea crept up to Falko's side, her footsteps silent as she leaned in close to his ear. Her mouth opened, ready to shout, but before she could make a sound, Falko's eyes snapped open. In one swift movement, he tackled her onto the bed, his hands pinning her down with precise control.
Rhea let out a startled yelp, her eyes wide. Falko leaned in, his expression serious. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, Rhea."
Rhea clicked her tongue, trying to wiggle out of his grip. "Ugh, fine, fine. I was just going to play a prank!"
Falko released her with a small smirk, sitting back on the bed. "Not today."
Brina, watching from the doorway, couldn't help but laugh softly. Falko had grown stronger—more agile. His reflexes were sharp, his movements precise. It was impressive, especially for a boy his age. She noticed the way Rhea looked at him, a mixture of awe and frustration in her eyes.
'I wonder what she think about him? Does she see him as a brother or a friend? And I wonder how I see him? Is he like a son to me?'
Brina thought looking at the two youngsters bickering with each other.
"Alright, you two," Brina said, stepping into the room. "No more pranks for today. Falko and Rhea, why don't you help two help me with dinner?"
Rhea pouted but nodded, throwing one last glance at Falko before following her mother outside to cook some meat.
As they worked together, Brina's thoughts drifted once more. Falko had changed a lot in the past few weeks, but Rhea had stayed the same—playful, mischievous, and full of energy. Brina hoped that one day her daughter would find a path that suited her. But for now, she was content with Rhea being her cheerful, carefree self.
"Mom?" Rhea's voice broke through her thoughts.
"Hm?"
Rhea smiled, setting a plate down on the table. "I'm glad you cam back so quickly?"
Brina chuckled, ruffling her daughter's hair. "And I'm glad to be back with two of you."
Both of them expected Falko to say something, but he just kept looking at them and gave a cheerful smile.
They shared a quiet moment, the warmth of their small home filling the space between them. Brina knew that change would come eventually, but for now, this was enough.